Camera shutter system

ABSTRACT

A camera includes a focal plane shutter with an electrical timing network and a lens shutter. The timing network includes an RC timing circuit connected through a first switch to a battery and a second switch shunting the RC capacitor and opened with the opening of the focal plane shutter. The first switch is opened and closed with the charging and discharging of the lens shutter, and a solenoid controlled by a solid state switch whose input is connected across the capacitor controls the shutting of the focal plane shutter.

United States Patent 1 [11] 3,776,115 Kanno Dec. 4, 1973 CAMERA SHUTTER SYSTEM Prima Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews 5 1 t K K T k J [7 nven or yusel gnno 0 yo apan Assistant Examiner-Michael L. Gellner [73] Assignee: Asahi Kogakn Kogyo Kabushiki A st nl w ld Kaisha, Tokyo-to, Japan [22] Filed: Dec. 22, 1971 21] Appl. No.: 210,697 [57] ABSTRACT A camera includes a focal plane shutter with an elec- 30 Foreign Application priority Data trical timing network and a lens shutter. The timing A 17, 1971 .l 46 24685 hetwohk includes an RC timing circuit hhected pr apan through a first switch to a battery and a second switch 52 us. c1. 95/53 EB Shhhhhg the RC capacitor and Pehed with the Open 51 Int. Cl. G03b 9/02 ihg 0f the fcal Plane The first Switch is [58] Field of Search fl 95/10 CT 53 EA opened and closed with the charging and discharging l l I I 95/53 of the lens shutter, and a solenoid controlled by a solid state switch whose input is connected across the ca- [56] References Cited pacitor controls the shutting of the focal plane shutter. UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Claims 2 Drawing Figures 3,635,142 1/1972 Ataka et a1. 95/53 WENTEUBEB 4mm 3,776,115

INVENTOR /5/ Aim/m0 ATTORNEY CAMERA SHUTTER SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION advantages of such a camera are that in synchronized photography with flash illumination, such as with a speed light, the user is compelled to: employ such a slow-shutter operation that the film aperture is at least temporarily fully opened, and that when a high-speed shutter opening for photographinga: rapidly moving object that a slit-formed shutter aperture passesover the film aperture and the image is deformed; this latter phenomenon being disadvantageous-especially in photographing. operation in scientific experiments.

A lens shutter arrangement operatesin=a mannerto eliminate the above mentioneddisadvantagesofi a focal" plane shutter arrangement. Accordingly; acamera pro vided with these twoshutter arrangements-enables'the user not only. to'interchangetlle objective'but also to perform synchronized illumination: photographing: operations and scientific experimentphotographingope: ations withtal rapid shutter speedi With. a camera having such two zshutter arrangements, the photographic operation is-made"in"suclia manner that one shutter arrangement controls-the fili'n' exposure time while the other shutter arrangement remains open. Generally, the focal plane shutter arrange ment will be used fornormal photographingoperations and the lens shutter: arrangement-will be use'd -for only" special purposes. For such normal p'hotographing oper ations interchangeable objectives having no shutter arrangement will be used so thatthe focal "plan'eshutter arrangement is operatednin the samemanner 'as 'that with a camera having such shutter arrangement;

When a lens shutter arrangement is-to be used for 'aspecialiprupose, either an interchangeableobjectivehaving a lens shutter arrangement isused or a lens shut ter arrangement provided in the cameraisusedi- In this case, the. focal plane shutter arrangement must-be opened before the operation of the lens shuttert One I method is that when the camera is ready-to start photographing operationthefocal plane shutter arrangementis set .to bulb exposure or' time exposure (such shutter control'th'at if not actuated from outside for clo-' surethe shutter remains open) and the lns shutter'is' actuated while. the focal. plane shutter remains "open: According, to this method, after the operation of "the lens shutter, ifa closure signal-is not'givento th e focal planeshutter it remains openn'Nowg'one of thefeature's" of a camera having a focal plane shutter is that inter= change of objectives is possible, and Withsuch camera the user is accustomed to interchange objectives; If after use ofthe lens shutter the user forgets this and removes the objective fromthe cameralfo'robjective in terchange, then the film surface will 'be-exposedto light without: the protection *of the focal plane 1 shutter;

It is possibletotset thefocal-plane shutter to such l low-speed exposure that l the filr'nzaperture isat le'ast temporarily fully opened. I-lowever; according to 1 this method, upon using the lens shutter the focal plane shutter must be set to 'a specific timing control value.

It is thus clear from the above that the arrangements heretofore available and proposed in cameras having both focal plane and lens shutters possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages and leave lriuch to be desired.

SUMMARY or THElNVENTION- It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved camera shutter system. v

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved focal plane and lens shutter system.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide in a camera an improved combination of focal plane shutter having an' electric shutter timing network and a lens shutter in which the shutters are so related thafthe closing of the focal plane shut ter is automatically effected by the closing of the lens shutter.

A-further object of the present invention is to provide a mechanismof the above nature characterized by its reliability; simplicity, efficiency, and high versatility and adaptability.

The above andother objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description takenin'conjunction with the accompanyingdi'awing which illustrates apreferredembodiment thereof.

ln th'e' arrangement of the present invention an electrically'timed'focal plane shutter and a lens shutter are sorelated that thefocal' plane shutter which is open duringtheoperatiori'of the lens shutter is automatically closed followirigthe closing of the lens shutter. Thus, since the focal plane shutter is automatically closed witl'ioutth'e need for anymanipulation oroperation on the partof 3 the photographer the drawbacks described above which characterize the conventional focal plane and lens shutter combinations are obviated.

forinitiating' the timingnetwork, and means responsive to the output of the timing networking for closing the focal' plane shutter.

In' its preferred form,the timingnetwork includes an RC circuitconnected through a first switch to a battery, the RC capacitor being shunted by a second switch'and connected'to the input of a solid state switch whose output controls a focal plane shut ter closing solenoid. The first-switch is openand closed with the charging and discharging of the lens shutter and the 60, second'switchis normally closed'and is opened with the opening of the focal plane shuttenThe resistance'com ponent'of the RC circuit may be adjustable and may include-a photoconductor.

BRl'EFD'Es'cRlPrloN-oF THE DRAWING FIG.'l is a'rear perspective view of the lens shutter section and switch controlassel nbly in a camera em bodyin'g the' presentinvention; and l FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of an example of a focal plane shutter timing and control network of the improved shutter system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a suitably housed lens shutter of conventional construction which includes a finger actuated shutter set lever 2 which extends from the shutter charging or cocking ring. A pin 3 is mounted on the charging ring and projects rearwardly therefrom through a slot 4 in the rear wall of the lens barrel into the interior of the camera body which includes a focal plane shutter and an electrical timing mechanism. A normally closed Switch S, is located within the camera body and includes a moveable contact piece or arm which is positioned proximate to and in the path of the outer end portion of the pin 3.

The focal plane shutter timing and shutter relating network comprises an RC timing network which includes a timing capacitor C connected in series through a multipole selector switch S with a selected resistor R,, R ,-R,,, one of which may be a photosensitive element, such as a photoconductor exposed to the camera incident light, so that the shutter exposure speed may be selectively or automatically controlled. The ends of the resistors R,, R ,R,,, remote from capacitor C are joined and connected through the switch S and a normally open switch S in series to a first pole of a battery B the second pole of which is connected to the terminal of capacitor C remote from the resistors R,, R R,,. The switch S, is maintained'in its closed condition when the focal plane shutter is employed for the exposure control and the switch S is associated with the focal plane shutter in the known manner so as to be closed before the release of the leading screen or the initiating of the shutter release. The capacitor C is shunted by a normally closed switch S, which is opened, in the known manner, in synchronism with the opening of the focal plane shutter and is closed with the closing of the focal plane shutter.

The junction point P of capacitor C and switch S is connected to the base of a transistor T, whose emitter is connected to the battery second terminal through a resistor and whose collector is connected to the first battery terminal through a resistor and switch S in series and to the base of a transistor T The emitter of transistor T is connected to the battery second terminal and the collector thereof is connected through a solenoid M and switch S in series to the battery first terminal. The solenoid M, by way of the solid state switch including transistors T, and T and under the control of the RC circuit including capacitor C and a selected resistor functions to release the focal plane shutter a time interval following the closing of switches S and S, and the opening of switch S Accordingly, when, in synchronism with the run of the leading screen in the opening action of the focal plane shutter, the switch S is opened, and a current flowing through a resistor R, selected by the switch S flows into the timing capacitor C. When, as a result of charging of the capacitor C, the voltage at the point P rises to a predetermined value, the transistor T, turns on. This causes the voltage of the collector side of the transistor T, to drop abruptly. Accordingly, the transistor T whose" base electrode receives said voltage as a control signal, turns on, so that a current flows through the solenoid of electromagnet M. Thus, the electromagnet M releases thelagging screen of the focal plane shutter arrangement-to run so as to close the shutter. Alternatively, the electric'circuit may be so'cohst'ituted that the lagging screen'is' 'permitted to runby interru tion of current flow through the electromagnet M.

The exposure control by the lens shutter is performed as follows: In the lens shutter arrangement which is provided in an interchangeable objective attached to' a does not flow through the RC timing circuit, so that when the switch S is opened the timing operation is not started. Therefore, under these conditions the focal plane shutter is kept open.

Consequently, when the lens shutter arrangement is operated by means of its release button, the predetermined shutteropening-closing operation is effected. It

is possible to automatically effect the release of the lens shutter following opening of the focal plane shutter either by using two cooperating release cables or by using a mechanism for performing such release operation built into the camera mechanism itself.

When the release of the lens shutter is completed the set lever 2 return swings in a counterclockwise direction thereby returning the pin 3 to the initial position occupied before the shutter charge operation. This action causes the switch 8,, to be closed. In the electric circuit with the switch S, closed, the RC timing circuit starts its timing operation or interval. After an elapse oftime determined by a resistor selected by the switch S, from among the timing resistors R,, R ,..R,,, a signal is produced to actuate the electromagnet M through the actions of the switch transistors T, 'and T Thus the lagging screen of the focal plane shutter is released to run, causing the shutter to be closed.

Thus, according to the present invention, a switch, which controls the start of the operation of the electric timing circuit for determining the shutter time of the focal plane shutter, is under the control of a member such as a shutter charging member of the lens shutter, which is actuated when the operator intends to use the lens shutter and which returns after completion of the operation of the lens shutter to the initial position occupied before the actuation. Accordingly,1the focal plane shutter, which as been opened before? release of the lensshutter, is kept open with no timing operation started. In the meantime, the operation of the lens shutter is performed. After completion of this operation, the focal plane shutter is automatically closed by the operation of the timing circuit. 1

Thus, the arrangement according to the present invention provides the following great practical advantage: When the lens shutter is to be used it is not necessary to set the focal plane shutter arrangement to such special time control value as bulb" or slow speed" exposure. After completion of the operation of the lens shutter the focal plane shutter is automatically closed.

The subsequent use of the focal plane shutter or interchange of objectives is readily carried out without any special care. This arrangement serves to decrease failures of photographing operation due to mistaken operation.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a camera including a focal plane shutter and a lens shutter including a shutter charging ring movable between charged and discharged positions, with the charged and discharged conditions respectively of said lens shutter, a rearwardly projecting actuating member movable with said charging ring, a first switch located in the path of movement of and actuated by said actuating member to open and closed positions, with the charged and discharged positions respectively of said shutter charging ring, an RC timing network including a timing capacitor and a resistance section, a third switch connected across said timing capacitor and movable between open and closed conditions respectively with said focal plane shutter, a second switch, said timing network first switch and second switch being connected in series across a source of current, and circuit means responsive to the closing of said first and second switches for opening said focal plane shutter and responsive to a predetermined charge on said capacitor for closing said focal plane shutter.

2. The camera of claim 1 including means for adjusting the resistance of said resistance section' 3. The camera of claim 1 wherein said resistance section comprises a photoconductor.

4. The camera of claim 1 wherein said timing network comprises a solid state switch having an input connected across said capacitor and an output, and

said focal plane shutter closing means comprises a solenoid connected to said solid state switch output. 

1. In a camera including a focal plane shutter and a lens shutter including a shutter charging ring movable between charged and discharged positions, with the charged and discharged conditions respectively of said lens shutter, a rearwardly projecting actuating member movable with said charging ring, a first switch located in the path of movement of and actuated by said actuating member to open and closed positions, with the charged and discharged positions respectively of said shutter charging ring, an nRC timing network including a timing capacitor and a resistance section, a third switch connected across said timing capacitor and movable between open and closed conditions respectively with said focal plane shutter, a second switch, said timing network first switch and second switch being connected in series across a source of current, and circuit means responsive to the closing of said first and second switches for opening said focal plane shutter and responsive to a predetermined charge on said capacitor for closing said focal plane shutter.
 2. The camera of claim 1 including means for adjusting the resistance of said resistance section.
 3. The camera of claim 1 wherein said resistance section comprises a photoconductor.
 4. The camera of claim 1 wherein said timing network comprises a solid state switch having an input connected across said capacitor and an output, and said focal plane shutter closing means comprises a solenoid connected to said solid state switch output. 